University Tops Deerfield 6-2, Suns Coach Hofman Gives Mixed Review

When discussing University School’s 6-2 win Tuesday night against host Deerfield Beach in the Deerfield Beach Preseason Classic, Suns coach Rich Hofman gave as candid of a postgame interview as a manager with the highest of expectations could expect to give.

First emphasizing the lowlights, and then touching on just a couple of highlights, Hofman didn’t mince his words one bit.

“We had five called errors, two other balls that should have been caught,” Hofman said. “We left runners on base. We didn’t have quality at-bats. Our pitchers didn’t throw enough strikes.”

If there were any silver linings, Hofman pointed to newcomer Brendan McKendry’s overall play and Mike White’s pitching performance in the seventh inning.

“The only highlights were Brendan McKendry,” Hofman added. “He had three nice hits tonight. And Mike White in the seventh inning showed why he’s our number one pitcher. We have a lot of guys who were playing for the first time for me tonight. I think they were really nervous, which surprised me. I thought they would be a little more relaxed. We have an offensive system that we really stress and the game was sped up too much. In order to play relaxed and like you’re capable, you have to slow the game down.”

McKendry, a sophomore left fielder, made his debut for the Suns after transferring from Somerset in Pembroke Pines. McKendry batted 3-for-4 with three singles, scored a run and drove in a run from the seventh batting spot.

White went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI. He also entered to pitch in the seventh and struck out the side.

Catcher J.J. Cormier went 2-for-4 with a double, a run and a RBI. Defensively, he threw out three runners attempting to steal and a fourth runner was caught in a pick-off attempt and run-down to end a threat in the sixth inning.

The Bucks were able to generate three of their four hits and six walks from batting spots one through five. Shortstop Andre Campbell drew two walks and scored, and catcher Brian Johnson Jr. had a single, stolen base and a walk.

First baseman J.P. Holgerson drew a walk and had a RBI single, and designated hitter Kurt Hardy had a walk, single, stolen base and a run.

Deerfield Beach tied it at two in the top of the fourth inning on a string of walks, two errors, a balk and a wild pitch.

University School answered right back on Charlie Gomez’s RBI sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning. McKendry followed with a RBI single in the fifth and then White’s RBI double and Cormier’s RBI sacrifice ground-out concluded the scoring.

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